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Snow in March?
Gordon Elliott can only stand and watch as the horses prepare for another day of racing action in the snow.
Credit: Adam Davy/PA Wire -
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Met Office update
The Met Office have said: "don't be surprised if you see some wet snow in some of the showers today. A temporary slight covering is possible on the grass and cars, as seen recently here in Cheltenham"
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Snowy start
It's not the ideal start for punters - conditions at Cheltenham have thrown a massive spanner into the works!
Anyone know which horses are good in the snow?
Credit: Adam Davy/PA Wire -
BREAKING: Snow on track
Breaking news this morning as SNOW has started to fall at Cheltenham!
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Templegate's Tips for Day Two
FINAL DEMAND (1.20 Cheltenham, nb)
Willie Mullins’ hope looked a superstar when scoring at Leopardstown latest when clocking a really fast time.
He has plenty of staying power and looks open to massive improvement on just his fourth visit to the racecourse.
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Templegate's Tips for Day Two
COMFORT ZONE (2.40 Cheltenham, nap)
Can win this red-hot handicap for the excellent Joseph O’Brien.
This six-year-old did well on the level last season, finishing the campaign with a big handicap win at Naas in October.
He has had just one spin over hurdles since then when he was more than a little unlucky not to score in a big field at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.
He didn’t get the clearest of runs at the business end and crossed the line with something left in the tank.
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Templegate’s Tips for Day Two
5.20 Champion Bumper
I’M backing Townend to come up trumps in the Champion Bumper – but it’s Jody rather than big brother Paul I’m putting my faith in.
She is on board BAMBINO FEVER who gets a handy 7lb allowance for being a mare.
Today’s pilot was in the saddle when she destroyed a fair field to win a Grade 2 at Leopardstown last month.
She picked up like a rocket to scoot more than seven lengths clear without breaking sweat. -
Templegate’s Tips for Day Two
4.40 Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase
UNEXPECTED PARTY can defend his Grand Annual title for the Skeltons who have campaigned him to peak today.
The brothers have a track record for targeting Festival handicaps and he showed really positive signs when second at Windsor last time.
He drifted like a barge in the market before getting a ‘quiet’ ride and running on nicely into second when the winner had long gone.
He jumps well and has every chance from 6lb higher than 12 months ago.
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Templegate’s Tips for Day Two
4.00 Queen Mother Champion Chase
SOLNESS hasn’t had the credit he deserves for his blistering victory at Leopardstown last month.
He turned that race into a procession, blasting off from the front and showing electric pace.
He jumped brilliantly and showed no signs of flagging in the closing stages.
He drops back a furlong here which helps cancel out the stamina-sapping effects of the hill a little and he looks a good price to go very close again.
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Templegate’s Tips for Day Two
3.20 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
BUSSELTON caught the eye with a nice quiet spin around this track in at the December meeting.
He jumped the various obstacles without putting a foot wrong and ran on nicely enough in the closing stages to finish sixth.
That was an improvement on his first crack over the track and connections have looked after his falling mark by running him over hurdles last time.
He held his own in Grade 2 company at Navan in February and should be spot-on fitness wise now. He stays well and cut in the ground suits.
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Templegate’s Tips for Day Two
2.40 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
COMFORT ZONE can win this red-hot handicap for the excellent Joseph O’Brien.
This six-year-old did well on the level last season, finishing the campaign with a big handicap win at Naas in October.
He has had just one spin over hurdles since then when he was more than a little unlucky not to score in a big field at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.
He didn’t get the clearest of runs at the business end and crossed the line with something left in the tank.
Going up in distance here looks a smart move and he looks fairly handicapped under Mark Walsh.
Owner JP McManus has another decent chance with Impose Toi from Nicky Henderson’s yard.
He was impressive at Newbury last time and won in a big field here in November.
Cheekpieces go on for the first time which may help him get up the hill.
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Templegate’s Tips for Day Two
2.00 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
GORGEOUS TOM can take a massive step forward now he’s tackling three miles for the first time.
After a novicey tumble at Tipperary on comeback, he has gone from strength to strength for Henry De Bromhead and had six lengths in hand when landing a Cork Grade 3 in November.
That saw him thrown into the top-class Drinmore at Fairyhouse the following month where he was beaten less than a length.
That was over 2m4f and he was finishing strongly to suggest this trip will be right up his street.
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Templegate's Tips for Day Two
1.20 Turners Novices' Hurdle
FINAL DEMAND can get payment in the Turners.
Willie Mullins’ hope looked a superstar when scoring at Leopardstown last time and can edge out the Skeltons’ The New Lion in what should be a cracker.
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Will the betting Scho go on?
Paul Scholes has hinted he's ready to carry on betting after his day one joy.
The ex-England and Manchester United midfielder was a big winner at the Festival yesterday.
Credit: Rex The 50-year-old put £2,500 on even-odds favourite Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Irish jockey Paul Townend had no problems in steering Kopek to victory.
That meant Scholes recouped his stake plus won £2.5k.
That’s not even a day’s pay for many Premier League stars – let alone those Old Trafford players rated as overpaid by club minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
But Scholes was so delighted he couldn’t resist posting about it.
And it seems he’s in no mood to keep his winnings and run for the rest of the Festival.
He suggested he’s lining up more flutters as he wrote on Instagram: “Here we go then…”
Credit: Rex
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Fall victim State Man 'sore' but fine
Willie Mullins says State Man will have no lasting problems following his last-fence fall in the Champion Hurdle.
The 17-time Irish National Hunt Champion trainer said: “State Man is fine to travel home.
"I think he got a few kicks in the head when he was down, so he’s going to be sore in the morning
"But the vets say he’s fine to travel home this evening, which is great news.”
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'Thump me - I couldn't dream this'
Jeremy Scott urged someone to "thump me" to prove it was true - after the trainer's 25/1 shot Golden Ace won the Champions Hurdle.
Scott claimed he "couldn't even have dreamed" of glory in the main event on day one of the Festival.
Lorcan Williams celebrates with the Champion Hurdle trophyCredit: Rex Odds-on favourite Constitution Hill, the 2023 winner and on a 10-race win streak, and State Man, who triumphed last year, both fell.
And Golden Ace, who was only competing as owner Ian Gosden insisted, went on to profit spectacularly.
Jockey Lorcan Williams said: “I’m shell-shocked. Literally, I cannot believe it.
"She wasn’t travelling as well as I wanted in the latter part of the race, all I was thinking was that we could do with a bit further.
"Then I thought, ‘we’re staying on well for second’, and things started to happen.”
Scott himself said: “I couldn’t even dream it. Thump me, because I must be fast asleep at the moment.
" I think my team at home will be as flabbergasted as I am."
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'Two silly old fools' suffer Champion Hurdle woe
What odds on this double dose of misfortune in the Champion Hurdle.
Constitution Hill and State Man – the winners of day one's main event in the past two years - were both fall guys when well tipped.
Golden Ace, middle, won the Champion Hurdle after Constitution Hill, right, and State Man, second right, literally fell out of contentionCredit: Rex Indeed, Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill was the 1-2 favourite - with bookies fearing the worst as he was so well backed.
But the eight-year-old and jockey Nico de Boinville were downed at the eighth fence, with State Man tumbling at the last.
Henderson was almost open-mouthed with frustration afterwards.
He said of the fall: "You think of the first word that comes into your head and it would probably be the same as mine. I don’t know, what can you say?
"He seems fine, he’s very bright and breezy. He hasn’t had a race, obviously, and we’ll just have to think of a plan.
"We thought we had him right, he’s been in terrific form, but there you go – it happens.
"Poor old State Man as well, you couldn’t believe those two silly old fools have gone and done what they’ve done today."
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Towning glory of epic treble denied by fall
Paul Townend was only denied a brilliant treble when State Man fell at the last in the Champion Hurdle.
The 35-year-old had clocked up two impressive victories on day one of the Festival.
Paul Townend won with Lossiemouth in the Grade One Mares HurdleCredit: Rex The Irish jockey first triumphed in some style on Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle - overhauling Romeo Coolio inbetween the last two hurdles.
Townend then guided the outstanding Lossiemouth to glory in the Grade One Mares Hurdle.
But with State Man looking a certain winner, he tumbled to prevent a tumultous Townend triple.
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Scho me the money!
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes was a huge big-race betting winner on day one of the Cheltenham Festival.
The former England midfielder put £2,500 on even-odds favourite Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
Paul Townend won the Supreme Novices Hurdle on Kopek Des BordesCredit: Rex Irish jockey Paul Townend had no problems in steering Kopek to victory.
So Scholes recouped his stake plus another £2.5k.
That's not even a day's pay for many Premier League stars - let alone those Old Trafford players rated as overpaid by club minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
But Scholes was so delighted he couldn't resist posting about it.
Paul Scholes won £2,500 for backing Kopek Des BordesCredit: Rex And it seems he's in no mood to keep his winnings and run for the rest of the Festival.
He suggested he's lining up more flutters as he wrote on Instagram: "Here we go then..."
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Coming up on Day Two
Wednesday, March 12 - Style Wednesday
1.20pm: Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
2pm: Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
2.40pm: Coral Cup Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
3.20pm: Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
4pm: BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1)
4.40pm: Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
5.20pm: Weatherbys Champion Bumper
Credit: AFP
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ITV commentator forced to cut short Chisora’s interview
Derek Chisora shared a Cheltenham tip which forced ITV to cut short their interview with the boxer.
But he already had his mind on what is to come later in the week as he shared a tip for viewers.
Chisora, 41, told punters to back Ballyburn in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase on Wednesday.
He told viewers to "put your house on it", prompting a quick intervention from the broadcaster.
Cameras cut away as an ITV commentator said: "No no don't do that."
ITV commentator forced to cut short Derek Chisora's Cheltenham interview after telling punters 'put your house on it' -
Matt Chapman's tips ahead of Day Two
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Day One in pictures
Credit: PA 
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Credit: Splash 
Credit: Max Mumby -
Day One results in FULL
1.20pm: Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ (WINNER: KOPEK DES BORDES)
2pm: My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase (WINNER: JANGO BAIE)
2.40pm: Ultima Handicap Chase (WINNER: MYRETOWN)
3.20pm: Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (WINNER: LOSSIEMOUTH)
4pm: Unibet Champion Hurdle (WINNER: GOLDEN ACE)
4.40pm: Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (WINNER: PUTURHANDSTOGETHER)
5.20pm: National Hunt Novices’ Chase (WINNER: HAITI COULEURS)
Credit: Sportsfile
